Wheeled toy



May 15, 1951 F. H. THURMAN 2,552,824

WHEELED TOY Filed Nov. 18, 1946 INVENTOR Ferdinand, H. Thurman.

ATTORNEY Patented May 15, 1951 WHEELED 'roY Ferdinand H. Thurman, Garrett, Ind., assgnor to Auburn Rubber Corporation, Auburn, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application November 18, 1946, Serial No. 710,693

This invention relates to wheeled toys of the type in which suitable supporting wheels are attached to a body which may be formed of any suitable material, such as, for example, a flexible and elastic composition suitable for molding.

The object of the invention is to provide a wheeled toy so constructed that it is inexpensive to manufacture but of strong and durable construction, capable of withstanding rough usage.

It is also an object to so mount the supporting Wheels and axles that they are cushioned and reinforced by the body in such a manner that they can withstand heavy thrusts without distortion.

With the above and other` objects in view, the invention may be said to comprise the wheeled toy as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the appended claims, together with such variations and modications thereof as will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

Reference should be had-to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the Wheeled toy with its front portion broken away and shown in longitudinal vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the toy;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section through the front end of the body, taken substantially on line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section of the front end of the body with the Wheel and axle assembly removed; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the axle alone to illustrate the means for attaching the axle and wheels to the body.

The accompanying drawings show an embodiment of the invention in which the wheeled toy has a one-piece, hollow molded body I0 composed of flexible and elastic rubber-like material molded to a form simulating the body of an automobile. The body I0 is hollow and is provided with spaced side walls II which are shaped to correspond to the sides of an automobile body. In the embodiment shown, the side walls I I have front and rear thickened portions I2 and I3 that simulate the fenders of an automobile and these thickened portions are provided with downwardly facing substantially semi-circular wheel recesses I4. At the inner sides of the Wheel recesses and centrally thereof the side Walls are provided at their lower'edge with axle receiving notches I5. The body is also provided with integral trans- 2 Claims. (Cl. 426-221) verse webs I6 extending between and which may connect the thickened portions I2 and I3 of the side walls directly above the axle receiving notches I5. Bottom edge I'I of each of the webs I6 is in transverse alinement with the notches I5 and may be located in substantially the same plane as the bottom of the notch, or may be disposed directly over the notch and slightly spaced upwardly therefrom.

An axle I8 having wheels I9 mounted for rotation thereon may have its end portions disposed in the notches I5. If desired, the ends of the axles exteriorly of the wheels may be upset or enlarged, as indicated by the numeral 20 in Fig. 2, to retain the wheels on the axle. In the form of vehicle shown in the drawings employing wheel recesses III, the axles extend substantially to the side walls II, and the marginal walls of the recess will serve to retain the wheels on the axles without providing the enlarged ends 20 on the axles.

Intermediate its ends, portions of each axle are formed to provide gripping engagement with the web I5. As shown in the drawings, the intermediate portions of each of the axles may be offset in the shape of a pair of substantially rectangularly shaped loops 2l connected by an intermediate link portion 22 which is approximately aligned with the axis of the axle proper. The two loops 2l are adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of one of the transverse Webs I6 and, due to the configuration of such integral portions of the axle in the manner shown, the loops 2I will resiliently grip the web I6 therebetween and provide a secure engagement which y will firmly hold the axle and its associated wheels to the body of the vehicle.

Since the .body III is formed of flexible and elastic material, the axle I8 and wheels I9 are yieldably supported on the body and in order to strengthen the body the webs I6 are preferably tapered downwardly so as to provide a relatively stiff upper portion to receive the thrusts transmitted to the body through the supporting wheels I9.

Although the invention has been shown and described as applied to a toy automobile of ilexible and elastic material, it may be seen that it may be applied with equal advantage to many other wheeled toys composed of various materials. Examples of suitable material are moldable plastics of both thermosetting and thermoplastic nature, natural and synthetic rubbers, particularly those vulcanizable with sulfur, reclaimed rubber or mixtures of the above. It is generally preferable to employ a material which is both iiexible and elastic, since the resultant product is yieldable with no sharp edges and much safer for children to play with.

It is to be understood that variations and modifications of the specific devices herein shown and described for purposes of illustration, may be made without departing from the spirit of; the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A wheeled toy which comprises a body meme.

ber having depending spaced side wall portions,

with downwardly opening alined notches in said side wall portions and a transverse web. portion-u disposed between said side wall portions, an. axle 15'. Number having end portions disposed in said notches, and wheels mounted for rotation, on said axle said axle being formed with integral loop-shapedV spring portions intermediate its ends to resilient-` v ly grip said web to mount said axle to said body.

Awheeledi toy which, comprises a body mem` having depending: spaced- Side Wall portions REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file otr this patent:

UNIIEJQ STATES PATENTS Name Date 647,801 Bruner Apr. 17, 1900 1,579,584 Myers Apr. 6, 1926 1,787,034 Burns Dec. 30, 1930 1,853,833; Peake Apr. 12, 1932 2,131,490 Walker Sept. 2,7, 1938 2,133,711 1\/I :.Larle. v Oct. la, i938 v21.516.526, Norton fg- Het July 25,195.0. 

